Last year pianist Manuel Valera released an exciting album mixing his piano with a variety of percussionists. Well, for this disc, he’s done the exact same thing, except that he has no percussionists. In other words, Valera’s warm touch on the piano is in all its solo glory here, on a mix of originals and bop standards. The mood throughout is calm and elegant, with luminous and thoughtful pieces such as “Spiral” and “Solamenta Una Vez” brimming with romance, while a gentle restlessness and drama permeate pieces such as “Improvisation” and “Impromptu No. 3” respectively. His fingers pop with delight on the bopping “Hallucinations” while sounding inquisitive on Monk’s “Ask Me Now.” His touch on “Blues” is as soft as a velour shirt. Hands as warm as a catcher’s mitt.
Mavo Records